


Pastries and Strangers

by aeltaiir



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bakery, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Bucky Barnes & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Fluff, M/M, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark Friendship, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:06:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23535757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeltaiir/pseuds/aeltaiir
Summary: There's an attractive man that keeps coming into Tony's bakery and Tony would like to know who he is. Unfortunately, he keeps forgetting to ask him, and Natasha isn't exactly a lot of help.---Or, that one classic bakery and coffee shop au.Disclaimer: I do not own the characters nor the universe and ideas and I make no money off of this.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 3
Kudos: 137





	Pastries and Strangers

"Pastries truly are a gift to humankind, aren't they," Tony murmurs to himself as he pulls another tray of freshly baked cakes out of the oven. "And yet, so underappreciated by so many," he laments wistfully, checking to see if the cakes are browned enough.

"Is the next batch done yet, Tony?" Natasha's voice asks, cutting through Tony's yearning sigh with a slightly impatient yell from the currently empty store-front.

Shouting back an affirmation, Tony nods to himself, walking back through the doorway holding the tray.

"Just got them out, here you go," he says, putting the tray down on the counter. "Besides, aren't I supposed to the be one bossing you around?" he asks lightheartedly.

"Maybe, but then we both know nothing would actually happen around here, wouldn't it?" Nat jokes, shoving him out of the way to top and align the new pastries on a tray and put under the glass display.

Huffing, Tony goes around the counter to get the rest of the store ready for the early opening time, much to his chagrin, that they maintain in order to get the commuters before the typical workday.

Still, as much as Tony dislikes the early wakeup, he wouldn't change anything about the small, but slowly growing, bakery and coffee house. The shop, which only really started about a year and a half ago, is his baby, owning his heart and soul. 

Howard would have a fit if he was alive to see this, Tony muses as he cleans one of the wooden tables near the glass wall that forms one of the corners of the shop. While the shop has been going steady for a full year now, the beginnings weren't as smooth. Between Tony's leaving MIT after graduation with only the support from Jarvis and Rhodey, and his subsequent disownment, the start of his little haven was slow going.

However, with Jarvis's recipes and Rhodey's encouragement, Tony's dream gradually became a reality, and even a good one at that.

As Tony finishes wiping down the tables, filling up the different jugs of milks and sugars, and unlocking the shop, the front brass bell hanging down near the door rings throughout the store.

"Oh, hi," Tony says, waving to the new customer while looking over to the front of the store only to find the desk empty. "What can I get for you?" he asks, rubbing his hands off on a towel attached to his front apron and stepping behind the counter to look at the new customer, who seems to be a brunette man in possibly his early twenties? It's hard to tell, Tony thinks to himself as he looks at the man standing before him while grabbing his notebook to write down the order.

"A black coffee and one of those?" he asks, pointing to the fruit-filled pastry sitting in the cabinet. "To go?" he adds as an afterthought, then patiently waiting as Tony sets the order up and gets to work making the coffee. 

"Are you new?" Tony asks with a smile while waiting for the coffee to finish flowing into the cup, making small talk with the seemingly new, and kind of very attractive too, Tony muses, customer.

"No, been coming here for a bit now," the stranger responds, taking the finished coffee handed to him. "But I haven't seen you before?" he asks.

"Ah, yeah, I tend to stay more in the back or cleaning around the front; less at the counter,” Tony explains. “You've probably been seeing Nat then, right? Red-head?" Tony asks, getting the pastry and wrapping it up in a bag with a sticker to seal it before pushing it across the counter.

"Natalia," the man nods, taking his bag and cup before somewhat awkwardly nodding to Tony in thanks and walking out with a small wave.

\---

"Get any customers while I was gone?" Nat asks as she walks back into the shop from the back entrance, about ten minutes later.

"A few, one who knew you, and gone where?" Tony asks, because he had texted her multiple times to no avail and while it wasn't unusual for one of them to pop out for a few minutes, either for a break or to get something, normally they do tend to tell one another.

"Store, and who?" Natasha asks, setting a plastic bag she pulled from out of thin air down on the counter.

"Uhhh," Tony pauses, realizing that in all of his thoughts about the other man, a name didn't really pass through his hyper mind. "He knew you?" Tony offers. "Brunette? He had a bun and was wearing a hoodie I'm pretty sure," Tony says, trying to wrack his brain for any other discernible features.

"You didn't ask for a name?" Natasha asks, putting what is most likely her lunch and some more fruit into the fridge in the back while Tony leans against the front counter. 

"Kinda slipped my mind," Tony yells back, lowering his voice after getting a glance from a couple of people sitting near the opposite wall and shooting them an apologetic glance. "Was focused, plus I don’t ask when there’s only one customer, no need,"

"Focused on the customer's order or on the customer?" Natasha deadpans as she joins her friend at the front to let him go to the back and start on the afternoon batch of goods.

"I never said anything of the sort," Tony rebuts, ignoring her playful glare as he passes her.

"You didn't need to," Nat replies from the front before turning to the new customer walking in.

\---

"Oh, hi again," Tony greets with a smile as he walks back to the front of the store during the opening time to see Natasha filling up the long-haired stranger's cup with black coffee. "Long time no see,"

The stranger nods with his own small smile, and Tony really needs to learn his name because, well just because.

"Here, I need to go get the oven," Nat says, shoving the full coffee cup to Tony's chest and walking off, leaving the two men to stare at each other.

"Want milk? Sugar?" Tony says eventually, pointing to the cup. "We have different types too, or honey, but that's more for tea, or agave for other stuff, I don't know if you like agave but yeah, anyways," Tony continues when the stranger is slow to reply.

"Just black is fine," the stranger responds, with a soft smile.

"Man after my own heart," Tony jokes, putting a sleeve on the cup and handing it over. "Anything else?"

"This is good," the stranger answers, already holding the pastry bag Natasha fixed for him.

Nodding again, Tony rings up the order and hands over the finished bag and cup.

"Have a nice day,"

"Thanks, you too," the brunette says, walking out with another ring of the bell.

\---

"He gone?" Natasha asks, walking back to the front counter again. 

"Who?" Tony asks, wiping the counter down with a cloth.

"Your 'stranger'?"

"Shit!" Tony whispers violently, pausing in the monotonous task.

"You forgot to learn his name?"

"Maybe?"

Sighing, Natasha gives Tony a look and heads to the back again.

\---

Not looking up from his task of doing the icing on the raspberry pastries, Tony nods towards the sound of the brass bell, his hands carefully dragging the piping bag back and forth over the dessert.

"Sorry, just give me two seconds," he says to the shadow that is now looming over him, pant legs showing through the glass display cabinet in front of him.

"There, done," Tony says to himself as he leans up against the counter and comes face to face with the stranger yet again. "Oh, hi!" he says, smiling at the slightly amused looking face.

"You get very focused,” the stranger half states, half asks.

"Yeah, kinda get lost in it sometimes," Tony agrees, blushing slightly. "Can be a hazard," he laughs slightly, putting the piping back down and setting the finished plate of pastries into the window. “Anyways, what can I get for you?"

"Black coffee and one of those," the stranger answers, pointing to the just frosted pastry.

"Good taste," Tony answers, grabbing a cup before turning back to the stranger. "Can I get your name for the cup?"

"You need my name?" the man asks, tilting his head to the side while a smirk plays on his lips.

"Need? No, not for the cup, but I wouldn't mind it," Tony answers, capping the pen.

"If I give you my name will you give me your number?" the stranger asks quickly before Tony puts the pen away.

"Deal," Tony says, smiling as he looks expectantly at the stranger.

"Bucky,"

"Bucky?"

"Or James if you wanna make me sound pretentious,"

Laughing, Tony uncaps the pen, writing James on the cup above his phone number and going to fill it with coffee.

"To go, right? Plain black?" he confirms, already capping the cup at the stranger's, James' nod, and handing it over the counter along with getting the tongs and bagging up the pastry. 

"Enjoy," he says, with a smile.

"I'm sure I will," James responds, walking out with an answering smile.

\---

"Guess whose name I got yesterday," Tony exclaims, walking into the coffee shop to see not only Natasha but Rhodey too.

"Bucky's?" Natasha asks, kneading the newest batch of bread behind the counter while Rhodey turns around on the stool he's sitting on to ask "Who?"

"Yeah! Asked him yesterday," Tony explains, turning to Rhodey to say hi when he paused as his brain catches up with Nat's words. "Wait, you knew?" Tony exclaims.

"We're friends," Natasha states calmly, “You knew that,” she says.

"And you didn't tell me his name?"

"You got it eventually," Natasha shrugs, putting the finished dough aside to rise. "Dry those," she instructs, pointing to the washed glasses on a towel next to her.

Grumbling, Tony goes around the counter and grabs a rag to help.

"Who is this Bucky?" Rhodey asks from his spot, where Tony can now see he's drinking a cup of coffee with a slice of toast.

"A customer," Tony answers with a small blush.

"Uh-huh," Rhodey says, nodding unconvinced. "Will I be seeing this customer sometime soon? Outside of the shop?" he asks.

"Rhodey, he's just a customer," Tony says, suddenly focused on the drying glass.

"Okay Tones," Rhodey concedes.

"Oh!" Tony exclaims, randomly as he remembers the other piece of new news. "He asked for my number too!"

Rhodey splutters into his coffee while Natasha smiles and nods knowingly. "Did he text you?" she asks.

Shaking his head, Tony frowns, ignoring Rhodeys coughing. "No, not yet," he says, going back to the glasses as Rhodey finishes choking.

"So," Rhodey starts. "Not just a customer, then?"

\--- 

"Okay, well I'll see you tomorrow," Tony says over his shoulder as he flips the sign to closed on the door. "Stay safe and have a nice evening," he continues, wiping down the tables as he looks over at Natasha. 

"You too, Anthony. And have fun," she finishes with a wink as she walks out the back door.

Blushing, Tony continues to straighten out the tables. To be honest, he really just expects tonight to be a calm night, even if it will be the first time out with James.

James had texted him a few nights ago and asked him if he wanted to go someplace sometime, so tonight they're going for dinner. Between that and James coming in for a coffee today, Tony can't wait.

"Okay, so go home, shower, get dressed, and get there by nine-thirty," he says to himself, glancing at the clock to see he has an hour and a half. "Easy,"

Finishing up the rest of the store, Tony locks the front and back doors and unlocks the stairs to the second floor: his apartment.

\---

It's just after nine-thirty when Tony arrives at the corner restaurant in a button-up and nice jeans. Although James didn't tell him exactly what to wear and was generally vague about the whole meeting place in general, maps exist and it only took a quick search to find the restaurant and assume what Tony should wear.

The place itself was nice, not overly expensive and more homey and warm than anything else. Tony's passed it many times though never been inside, but, standing outside, it looks nice enough. 

Torn from his thoughts as he sees his date coming down the path, Tony stands up straight and smiles when James notices him and gives a small wave.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Bucky says, holding the door open for Tony as they walk inside.

"It's fine, you didn't leave me waiting long," Tony assures as they both find a seat.

\---

"So, what do you do?" Tony asks, having been at the small talk for a little while now. "Other than frequent my store,"

"Oh, I run an adoption center, down the street from you actually," Bucky answers.

"Children?" Tony asks, a bit of surprise in his tone.

Laughing, James shakes his head. "No, don't think I'd survive that," he jokes. "Pets," he clarifies.

"Ah, that makes more sense for you," Tony agrees with a chuckle. "You enjoy it?"

"More than anything else," James confirms. "Run it with a few friends,"

"Sounds fun," Tony agrees.

"It is," James nods with a soft smile. "What about you? Obviously, I know where you work but any story there?"

"Not really, just graduated and decided to start it," Tony says vaguely.

"Right," James nods, continuing along with the rest of dinner.

\---

"Walk you home?" James offers, as he holds the door open on their way out.

"Sure," Tony says with a smile. "I had a good time tonight," he starts as they start walking back to the cafe.

"Me too," James agrees. "We should do this again sometime," he starts.

Laughing, Tony nods. "Smooth," he comments.

"Hey, you were the one who started the cliche," James laughs, playfully pushing Tony.

"Well, this is me," Tony says, pointing at the door to the cafe. "I'll see you around?" he offers, turning to face Bucky.

"You won't get rid of me that easily," Bucky agrees, leaning in to give Tony a small kiss on the cheek before taking a few steps back. "Have a nice night, yeah?" he says. 

"You too," Tony says, a faint blush on his cheeks, waving to James as he walks away in the night.

\---

“Good date?” Natasha asks, walking in to see Tony smiling to himself as he folds over the plum-pastry pockets. 

“Good date,” Tony confirms, setting the tray successfully in the oven and wiping his hands on his apron.

“Set another date yet?”

“Tasha, it’s only been one day,” Tony says, “Not even that, more like a few hours,”

“Just don’t take as long to go out again this time around, will you?” She laughs, patting Tony on the head as he grumbles, trying to hide his own smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, this is the cliche and classic bakery/coffee shop au fic. Hope you guys still enjoyed it and please leave a comment if you want, I love hearing what you guys have to say and if you have any ideas or things you want to see in future fics those are welcome too :) Stay safe and well, and I'll hopefully talk to you again soon,


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